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Original poster

Which legal career works best with a family

13 replies

MmeButterfly · 01/12/2013 13:37

I'm in the first year of a part time GDL course so have to start thinking about whether to go for the LPC or the bar course. My heart says bar but my head says LPC as I do want a family life too. However, I have to say the earning potential is important too. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts that might help me to make up my mind? I don't know exactly what area of law to go for yet either although my background is in social care so family, crime would suit although I'd like to move away from this possibly into more commercial fields.

OP posts:

Fasterkillpussycat · 01/12/2013 20:32

I would say lpc, simply because pupillages are so hard to come by. Crime tends to involve duty solicitor work so less sociable hours. Also, I have friends who work in family law and they say that business is really difficult since the changes to legal aid. I would be tempted to go for something more commercial. However it does depends what you are interested in.

QueenQueenie · 01/12/2013 20:34

Not one as a family law barrister...

skaen · 01/12/2013 20:36

It is incredibly difficult to practise at the bar and have a family. If you're going to do it, you probably need to allow at least 5 years of practice between qualifying and having a baby as a) you're self employed so it takes a while to build up work and b) you need to not be constantly traveling. It is not unusual as a junior barrister to spend 4 hours plus per day in trains...

bisjo · 01/12/2013 20:48

As a solicitor I would say choose the bar but not criminal. It seems to me that friends who are very senior still do incredibly long hours and have difficulty planning their time off if they do criminal. Friends who do family seem to be able to plan more, eg taking summer holidays off. Being self employed also gives you flexibility that just isn't there at the equivalent level as a solicitor.

Both solicitor and barrister are difficult professions for juniors but I do think the more senior you are the greater the flexibility for barristers.

Living · 02/12/2013 07:02

You need to take a realistic look at your chance of getting pupilage and take that into account - otherwise you're wasting your time and money. If you're looking at commercial fields you will need very strong academics (as in a first) + extra curricular and even then it's tough. Might be easier if you have a strong work history which will support it. Have you contacted any chambers to find out your chances?

Training contracts are also very hard to come by but pupilages are close to non-existent now.

Commercial law (and maybe all law!) isn't a career that will result in a lot of family time regardless of which route you go down.

PastaBeeandCheese · 02/12/2013 07:10

If earning potential is important definitely avoid criminal bar. Cuts to legal aid suggest tough times ahead for junior bar. YY to pupilage being extremely hard to come by.

If family life is important i'd say LPC and then you can consider going in house although not in a commercial discipline if you want work-life balance.

I'm in civil service now and have an ok work-life balance. I say ok.... It's far better than private practice but still not great compared to genuinely family friendly professions. Eg I still worked both days this weekend.

bringonyourwreckingball · 02/12/2013 07:12

Law of any kind and a family are very very hard to combine successfully. The only women I know who have done it have a nanny, a partner who has a much less high stress/long hours career and barely see their kids.

Original poster

MmeButterfly · 03/12/2013 13:28

Oh the view is bleak. Thank you for the insights. I already have two children and I'm not planning any more so I feel like this makes life a bit easier if i go to the bar. I also think to an extent that whatever job I'd get I'd need a nanny or childminder (although prefer nanny so the kids can be at home) to do the wraparound care. I do have work experience as a social worker which puts me in good stead for family and crime but as many have pointed out, cuts to legal aid make this a less attractive field to pursue, barrister or solicitor-wise. Another aspect to consider for us is that my DH might want to work part time if I'm earning enough. We've talked about it a lot as I'm more career oriented than him. Still not sure.

OP posts:

Original poster

MmeButterfly · 03/12/2013 13:31

Living - I do have a social work background, an MA and an undergrad Oxbridge degree although it was a 2:2 so I know i'm up against stiff comepetition. I'm hoping that my work experience will count for a lot. But yes, I should contact some chambers to work out if i would have what they were looking for.

OP posts:

QueenQueenie · 03/12/2013 23:06

I have to tell you that my chambers would not have interviewed you for pupilage with a 2.2...

Mandy21 · 03/12/2013 23:35

I think its very difficult, firstly in relation to getting a training contract or a pupillage, and then having a work / life balance. I know of one peer (out of 35/40 friends from law school - H and I are both solicitors) where they have a decent work / life balance and she is in house. From a lawyer point of view its not particularly well paid any more, the vast majority of our graduate friends with the same level of work experience earn more. If you are an equity partner its better, but thats quite a way off given that you're just starting out.

I don't know much about earning potential as a barrister but again it takes a long time to build up and its certainly not a regular income. You are reliant of getting work in in the first instance and then getting your fees in.

Is there any scope for progression in your current field or perhaps combining elements of your current job with something with a legal slant if that is what you are interested in?

skaen · 06/12/2013 21:33

Just caught up with this again. Op - with a social work background, it really might be worth you having a look at whether local authorities are recruiting specifically for childcare lawyers. A lot of them will do in-house training contracts and pay for your LPC.

Living · 12/12/2013 20:15

Honestly I think you need to stick with your strengths. What's your reason for wanting to go commercial? You will struggle to get a look in with. 2.2 regardless of how long ago unless you have extenuating circumstances. It is very rare to get wa training contract at a commercial firm with a 2.2 and I imagine next to impossible at for pupilage.

It's brutual but it's the bit your law school won't tell you honestly.

I say this as a 'mature' trainee in a commercial law firm btw. Are you aware that if you're thinking of doing the LPC or whatever the bar is now full-time you should be looking at vacation placements now with a view to applying for training contracts by end July. That assumes you want funding for the LPC. I seem to remember pupilage is similar.

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